Month off drinking slashes risk of disease

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | Oct. 25, 2015 | COREY CHARLTON

[Leaning Right]

Full title: "Month off drinking slashes risk of disease: Abstaining found to heal the liver and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels"

Drinkers should take a month off alcohol to prevent serious illness in later life, doctors warned yesterday. They cited dramatic British research showing how abstention can heal the liver and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Patients who gave up for four weeks were also at lower risk of developing cancer and diabetes.

[Leaning Right]

Interesting article. The Brits did two separate studies on this, and got the same results. However, the article does not say anything about the frequency effects of a one-month alcohol abstinence.

For example, is abstaining for one month every year twice as beneficial as abstaining for one month every two years? Or is once a decade good enough?

I suppose the greater the frequency, the more beneficial the abstinence is, but some details along that line would have been nice. Perhaps it's just too early in the study.

[Hang'emAll]

Gave up drinking, smoking, and running with wild women.

The worst 15 minutes of my life. :(

[pepsionice]

This would go against the idea of advocating a glass of red wine daily.

[Leaning Right]

This would go against the idea of advocating a glass of red wine daily.

That's right. And that's one of the frustrations of reading health articles. More often then not, Article A will be immediately contradicted by Article B.

However, it does make sense to give the ol' liver a rest now and again. The big question is how often is "now and again"?

[HartleyMBaldwin]

One month every thirty days would probably be fairly effective.

[pepsionice]

You could make the same argument of going 90 days a year without any red meat...giving the liver a rest there. Or avoiding all sodas for 90 days a year. Or avoiding pain-killers for 90 days a year.

[Caipirabob]

"...doctors warned yesterday."

Time to change doctors.

Socialist healthcare doctors - no fun at all.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Like the song says, “there are more old drunks than old doctors so let’s have another round”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKD_o4gbcSE

[PTBAA]

I have given up drinking for the Lenten season (I believe it is now year 5).

Of course the downside is that if I live forever I have no chance of getting to Heaven. :o)

[grimalkin]

I think it's pretty common sense stuff there. I guess they felt the need to try to quantify it in some way and yes, there are still a lot of unknowns.

I drink perhaps 2-3 times a year during special occasions and it has to be something I really enjoy like Grey Goose or Westvleteren 12.

[redfreedom]

I should be OK. I’ve been off the stuff for 374 months.

The guy that married us called it the “devil’s juice”. It took me a while, but I believe him. If you can’t handle it, like many of us, you don’t need it.

[A Navy Vet]

For the other 11 months, try Milk Thistle along with your cocktails. I have a blood panel done every year and I’m not even borderline for liver problems, although I drink every other day. It’s actually prescribed in Europe as a medication. May not work for others, but I believe it’s why I’m still here to wite thase ting.....

[nobamanomore]

Well, I’m have a glass of Cabernet with a steak right now. I’m obviously a gonner. I think the genetic fact that I have no blood relatives who have ever had cancer and had three of four grandparents who lived between 90 and 105 is probably more important. I’m 58 and just got the report from my insurance company, the same as last year. My health care costs $0. Next thing, they’ll tell you to refrain from having sex for a month. Somehow they never mention that the most unhealthy thing you can be is queer.